Securing the Value Your Website Delivers

Whatever your business is today, your website is probably at the heart of generating the value that keeps your business up and running. Your site is also the world’s window into your brand and identity. It’s where people learn about you, make orders, or find their way to your locations. All of this value could be in jeopardy if your site runs into a problem or goes down altogether.

Your website is both the face and the heart of your business, make sure you treat it well.

Older version working well? Take care of it.

Running an older version of your content management system doesn’t have to be a problem if it is supported with security updates, you keep it up-to-date, and it’s still delivering everything you need. If you’re tempted to add new features or technologies, keep in mind it’s important to evaluate them first. And that they should deliver value if you’re going to invest in them.

If your site does everything you need, you don’t need to upgrade today and you don’t need to add features for features’ sake. There are ways of increasing the lifespan of your website so it delivers value longer before it becomes a liability.

Are you doing regular updates? Really?

Have you stayed on top of maintenance and updates for your CMS? Really? :-) That needs to be a top priority. Bugs are discovered in any software system over time and there are bad actors online constantly looking to exploit them. Keeping your website up to date is the very best way avoid being affected by known security and other critical issues. As they say, “It’s no use locking the stable door after the horse has bolted”. Keeping your website safe should be on the business agenda before trouble comes your way.

Is your software still supported? Plan regular updates.

You need to plan ahead; upgrades should be part of your operational schedule. You need to know the official support periods and security release cycle of the software you’re using. If you’re using TYPO3 CMS, there’s a version roadmap and calendar of exact support dates. If your software is no longer supported you are at risk. If upgrades are no longer being delivered for your CMS, you’ll need to make a decision: do nothing and risk losing your site and the business processes it supports; upgrade to a supported version; or migrate to another system supported by an active open source community and commercial support offerings.

Use supported software.

TYPO3 CMS has clearly defined update and support cycles. It is backed both by its developer and service provider communities, as well as a commercial entity, TYPO3 GmbH, which backs the CMS with further special services.

The community supports every Long Term Support (LTS) version for three years after release with security and bug fix releases. A new, stable, major version of TYPO3 CMS is released every 18 months. This means that there are always two stable versions being maintained, as of mid-2017 that’s versions 7 and 8. TYPO3 CMS version 6 became officially unsupported by the community on March 31, 2017 when TYPO3 CMS 8 LTS was released.

Extended Long Term Support - If you’re still running TYPO3 CMS version 6, however, TYPO3 GmbH offers peace of mind and a longer period of return on your investment through its Extended Long Term Support (ELTS) program. ELTS is always available for the most recent unsupported LTS version. Once TYPO3 CMS 9 LTS is released in October 2018, ELTS for version 7 will begin and ELTS for version 6 will wind down six months after that in March 2019.

Unlock and sustain business value by choosing TYPO3 CMS and the option of prolonging your website’s lifespan by opting for TYPO3 GmbH ELTS. Get in touch with us if you want to know more.

About the Author

Jörg Ems

Customer Account Manager, TYPO3 GmbH, Düsseldorf

As a former chef for more than 20 years, Jörg has an eye for detail when it comes to customer satisfaction and success in his day to day work as the Customer Account Manager for TYPO3 GmbH.
He strives to give the best support possible and to convey TYPO3's philosophy.

Jörg joined the TYPO3 GmbH in April of 2016, being the first staff member of the newly founded company. While he is not a developer, he has a strong fascination for TYPO3 and especially its community.

In his spare time he likes to play guitar and produce electronic music.